


Pomegranate Seeds & Flower Crowns

by mayelisa



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ancient Greek Religion & Lore Fusion, Brian Is A Dick, Chance Meetings, Cloti - Freeform, Cloud is Hades, F/M, Falling In Love, Idiots in Love, Inspired by Hades and Persephone (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Late Night Conversations, Secret Relationship, Secret Santa, Tifa is Persephone, Zack tries to start shenanigans just because he can
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:35:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28263252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mayelisa/pseuds/mayelisa
Summary: Cloud has spent the past millennium alone in the halls of the Underworld shepherding souls that cross the River Styx. Lonely and frustrated, he ventures to the mortal realm and has a chance encounter with a goddess that could change his whole world.
Relationships: Tifa Lockhart & Cloud Strife, Tifa Lockhart/Cloud Strife
Comments: 14
Kudos: 62





	Pomegranate Seeds & Flower Crowns

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mayaris (asamikane)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/asamikane/gifts).



> Happy Holidays! This was a gift for the lovely Mayari over at Final Heaven as part of our Secret Santa 2020 event. I had a lot of fun working on this and I've always wanted to write a Hades/Persephone fic for Cloti, so it worked out well. I took some liberties with the lore - namely that Brian is Demeter (because he's a dick and it'd be weird for Tifa to marry her uncle) - but I hope you enjoy it none the less! Zack and Aerith also make an appearance, so let's see if you can figure out which god/goddess they are. Bonus points and gold stars will be awarded in the comment section for correct guesses! :) I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe holiday season!
> 
> A huge thank you to my beta **DrWaffle** for looking at this last minute before I had to turn it in. You rock! And a big thank you to **Somebodys_Nightmare** for looking this over as well. I wouldn't have been able to finish this without you guys!

The centuries had not been kind to Cloud. Ruling the Underworld had initially been a blessing in disguise, allowing him the privacy from the prying eyes of Olympus that he craved. But as the years ticked away like grains of sand in an hourglass, Cloud found that he was approached by his brothers less and less, left to wander the stone halls of his kingdom alone. On the rare occasion he would venture to the world above, he was welcomed with open arms by his brother Zack and his wife Aerith, though those visits were usually short-lived and Cloud would return to the Underworld feeling more dejected and frustrated than before.

Truth be told, he was lonely.

While he wouldn’t admit it aloud, that was precisely the reason why he found himself in the mortal realm. He couldn’t stare at the smooth black obsidian flooring of his throne room, reflecting the cold light of the torches lining the walls of the cavernous room any longer. The darkness made him feel as if he was drowning; being pulled under by the tide of souls in the River Styx and suffocated in a sea of darkness.

In contrast, the mortal realm was bright, with splashes of reds and yellows in the meadow he encountered, and Cloud was nearly blinded by it. He stuck to the edge of the forest encircling a meadow, the shade provided by the trees shielding his pale skin from the sun. Adjusting the sword strapped to his back, he meandered between trees and brush with no real destination in mind. He paused when the sound of laughter greeted him, a soft sound that seemed to beckon him closer. After a moment’s hesitation, he followed the laughter, encroaching as close to the meadow as he dared to. His breath caught in his throat and his eyes widened at what he saw.

Sitting amongst the flowers, a young maiden with long hair as dark as night was surrounded by several flower nymphs. Her eyes sparkled as she skillfully wove the stems of flowers together into a crown, hues of purples and pinks, which complimented her fair skin. The girl beckoned for one of the nymphs to come closer, a bright smile lighting up her face as she set the flower crown on the other girl’s head.

Cloud’s eyes roved over her form, noting the way the soft pink fabric was expertly draped over her curves, shielding her breasts and legs from view, only to have her small waist accentuated by the gold belt cinching her garb closed. Her bangs were short, swept across her forehead and locks of hair framing her delicate jawline. Pink and white flowers had been woven into her hair, tucked in between the plaits of her braid, which draped over her shoulder. Her cheeks were rosy as she laughed and Cloud was taken aback by the deep carmine color of her eyes. They sparkled with mirth as she entertained the nymphs, and Cloud found himself wanting to drown in her gaze.

She was, in a word, stunning.

A voice rang out across the field, startling Cloud out of his thoughts. The girl looked up, her smile fading ever-so-slightly as she rose to her feet. Cloud could see the way her shoulders drooped minutely as she said farewell to her friends, hugging a nymph with auburn hair tightly, and the way she sighed as she turned towards the voice calling out to her.

She paused at the edge of the meadow, turning towards the forest, her brows pinched as she scanned the woods. Cloud met her gaze for a moment before disappearing into the shadows, his heart throbbing painfully in his chest and his lungs burning for air.

* * *

“You seem troubled, Cloud.”

Gritting his teeth, Cloud waved his brother’s concerns off. “I’m not troubled.”

Zack dropped the scroll he was holding to turn towards Cloud, his index finger curled around his chin as he studied him. “No…something is definitely off,” he surmised. His eyes brightened and a large grin spread across his face. “Don’t tell me — did you meet someone?”

Cloud choked on his drink as he stared at Zack incredulously. He could feel heat creep up the back of his neck as he spluttered, “N-no! Of course not!”

“Cloud, you hardly ever leave the Underworld to visit, let alone attend one of these boring meetings with the rest of Olympus. There’s gotta be a reason why you came to visit, and it can’t be that you missed me.”

Turning his gaze towards his drink, Cloud dragged his fingertip around the lip of the cup. He could deny it all he wanted, but he knew that Zack would find out one way or another. With a sigh, he hung his head in defeat. “There’s this girl…”

“Ah ha! I knew it!” Zack thumped his hand on the table, startling Cloud with the sudden outburst. “Who is she? Anyone I know? Is she single?”

Shooting a withering glare at Zack, Cloud weighed whether it would be worth it to strangle him and face Aerith’s wrath or simply tell him. The thought of seeing Aerith in a full-on rage caused a shiver to run down his spine, chilling him to the bone.

With a sigh, he propped his elbow up on the table, resting his cheek against his palm. “I don’t know her name. I went to the mortal realm —“ Shooting his brother a glare, he held up a hand to halt Zack’s inevitable questions before continuing. “— and there was this girl in a meadow. She was playing with flower nymphs, but she was… I don’t know how to explain it, Zack. She’s different somehow.”

“A girl playing with nymphs?” Zack leaned back in his chair in thought. “Dark hair? Eyes the color of rubies? Impressive figure?”

Before Cloud could respond, a voice sounded from behind Zack. “You weren’t ogling another minor goddess again, were you dear?”

If Cloud hadn’t been terrified of the threatening edge to Aerith’s usual sing-song voice, he would have laughed at the way the color drained from Zack’s face. He felt the corner of his mouth twitch as he fought off a smirk as he watched Aerith curl long, graceful fingers over Zack’s broad shoulders as she came to stand behind him. To anyone else, it would look like a doting wife giving her husband a gentle, reassuring squeeze, but Cloud could see the muted anger flashing across Aerith’s sparkling green eyes and the way she squeezed Zack’s shoulder just a bit too tightly.

“Of course not!” Zack cast a pleading glance at Cloud. “Cloud was just telling me that he has developed an interest in someone and I was trying to figure out if we know her.”

Aerith’s demeanor changed near instantaneously, her tight smile becoming more genuine and her grip on Zack loosening. “Oh? Cloud, that’s wonderful!” Clapping her hands together, she turned her attention towards Cloud. “Who is this mystery girl? Perhaps I know her.”

“She was in a meadow, just outside Sicily,” replied Cloud, his voice quiet as he avoided meeting Aerith’s eyes.

Humming in thought, Aerith plopped down in Zack’s lap, draping her legs across the arm of the chair, brown curls cascading over her shoulder. She remained pensive for a moment, brow pinched in thought, before snapping her fingers as a thought struck her. “Oh! Are you talking about Tifa?”

“Ohh, I think you may be right. I knew I could count on you!” Cloud rolled his eyes when Zack kissed Aerith’s cheek, eliciting a giggle from her. “She’s not taken, is she?”

“Not to my knowledge,” she replied. Turning her gaze to Cloud, she smiled. “Would you like me to bless your union with her?”

Shaking his head, Cloud gave her a small smile of his own. “No, that’s quite alright. I doubt she would want to be with someone like me.”

Reaching over, Aerith squeezed Cloud’s hand. “She would be stupid to not want to be with you, Cloud. You’re clever, and patient, and a good man, regardless of what the others say.”

Cloud huffed, but gave Aerith a small smile as he squeezed her hand in return. “Thanks, Aerith. You know you’re too good for my brother, right?”

Aerith laughed as she patted Zack reassuringly on the cheek, ignoring the way he gasped indignantly. “Oh, I’m well aware that he wouldn’t get anything done without me.”

“Aaaaaanyway,” drawled Zack, his annoyance evident in his tone. “If you’re so taken with her, why not just take her as your bride?”

“Zack, I can’t just take her! I’m not a monster, no matter what the mortals say.”

“It’s not like they can really oppose you,” countered Zack. “You’re God of the Underworld, I’m King of Olympus, and with Aerith blessing your union, the most they can do is complain behind our backs.”

“I don’t know Zack…” Sighing, Cloud crossed his arms over his chest and slumped down in his seat. “That seems to be asking for trouble.”

Zack laughed, the sound loud and boisterous in the large hall. “What’s the point of being a God without causing a little trouble in the mortal realm?”

* * *

Tifa felt as though someone was watching her. In fact, she’d felt the weight of someone’s gaze lingering on her for weeks now. She had tried to shrug it off — perhaps it was a forest nymph who was too shy to come forward and say hello — but the longer it went on, the more intense the weight seemed to become. As much as the thought unnerved her, she knew better than to mention anything to her father lest she lose the modicum of freedom she was allowed.

She sighed, her shoulders sagging. She knew she should be grateful for her father. He was kind and doted on her as if she was his only treasure in the world. Her childhood had been wonderful; accompanying him as he tended the fields with the mortals, riding on his shoulders as he showed her brooks and streams that carved their way through the earth. He had taught her how to harness her power, perfecting her control over the life that bloomed across the earth, painting it in rich greens and splashes of color. But as she had gotten older and her control over her powers improved with each passing season, her father had become more protective of her. He busied her with studies, teaching her to read and write, in the hopes that she wouldn’t notice her freedom slipping away with each passing year. Except that she did. She noticed the way he restricted how far she could wander away from their home, felt the eyes that were always watching her every move, ears listening to her every word, waiting to report back to her father.

This meadow was her only piece of solace, though she knew if she ventured any further than the clearing, her father would know almost instantaneously. So she remained there, playing with the flower nymphs — her closest friends — and quietly spending her time dreaming of the day she might be able to venture past the tall grasses that swayed in the breeze and the large oak tree at the foot of the hill.

But still, something poked and prodded at her subconscious, pulling her attention towards the edge of the forest that bordered her meadow. Twisting to look over her shoulder, something seemed to pull at her, almost like a small child tugging at her skirts, begging her to follow them.

“Is everything okay Tifa?”

Tifa jumped, tearing her gaze away from the forest and finding Jessie standing beside her, watching her with concern etched into her expression. Tifa smiled gently. “Yes, I’m fine Jessie.”

The nymph peered up at her for a moment longer, her auburn hair falling over her shoulders as she tilted her head in contemplation. The scrutiny was short-lived; the girl shrugged and dismissed whatever suspicions she may have had. Tifa waited until she had rejoined the others, her attention diverted to something or other, before turning back towards the forest. Biting her lip, she knew that her father would fly into a fit if he knew she had entered the forest unaccompanied. After a moment, she reasoned that so long as she never actually entered the forest, she wouldn’t be betraying his wishes.

Taking a deep breath, she rose to her feet and smoothed out her skirts before slowly making her way towards the trees. She paused as she approached the first oak tree, glancing over her shoulder to ensure she hadn’t been followed. Finding that her friends were still preoccupied, Tifa placed her hand gingerly on the rough bark of the tree, squinting as she peered into the darkness. Not seeing anything, she wagered a step forward, the crunch of pine needles under her sandals nearly deafening to her ears. She was about to turn back, chalking up the feeling of being watched to simply a part of her imagination, when something caught her attention. She wasn’t sure what it was — the rustle of brush as a rabbit wandered by perhaps — but it intrigued her enough to draw her further into the woods.

Weaving past a few trees and shrubs, Tifa paused when she stumbled upon someone sitting at the base of a large birch tree. He was asleep, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. Tifa bit her lip, uncertain of whether she should leave the man be and return home, or if she should approach him to make sure he was okay. After a moment’s hesitation, she decided to approach the man, her steps hesitant and her pulse drumming a rapid beat in her veins. Her gaze wandered over his form; he had broad shoulders that were accentuated by the black fabric draped over his left shoulder, secured in place by a silver brooch that resembled a wolf’s head. He had drawn his knee up to his chest, his arm draped across it as he dozed, the gesture casual and certainly not a position that someone who was lost in the woods would have taken.

She crouched down beside him and felt her breath catch; Tifa was certain she had never seen a man quite as handsome. Her eyes roved over his high cheekbones, down the bridge of his nose and along the strong line of his jaw, which gave way to a neck that was as strong as it was delicate. His skin was pale, though his cheeks were flushed from the summer heat, his long lashes fanned out over a dusting of freckles on his cheeks. His hair was disheveled, flaxen strands sticking up every which way, but somehow looking impossibly soft with the way they fell across his forehead. Tifa wasn’t sure what possessed her in that moment, but she reached out to brush the hair from his eyes in order to get a better look at his face.

Her eyes widened and she swallowed a scream when his hand snapped up, strong fingers wrapping around her wrist and halting her just as her fingertips brushed against his hair. His eyes opened, locking onto her own, and Tifa forgot what it was like to breathe. His eyes were the deepest shade of blue she had seen, flecks of jade flashing around his pupils as he stared at her.

“I— I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice trembling under the intensity of his stare.

He said nothing for a moment, his brow furrowing as he studied her. Seemingly satisfied, he loosened his grip on her wrist enough that she was able to snatch her hand away.

“Who are you?” she asked.

He remained silent and for a moment, Tifa thought that he may never answer her. Just as she was about to give up having a conversation with him, he responded quietly, “Cloud.”

Tifa gasped, bringing her hands to her mouth. “O-oh, Your Highness I apologize! I thought you were lost and I was worried, so I—“ She swallowed thickly, lowering her gaze. “Please do not take my forwardness the wrong way.”

He chuckled at that, the sound low and husky. “You were worried?”

“Well…yes.” She hesitantly raised her gaze and was surprised to find his lips curved into a smirk. “It’s not often we find someone in the woods. I wanted to make sure you were alright.”

“I appreciate that…”

Tifa blushed as he trailed off, the tone of his voice suggesting that she tell him her name. “M-my name is Tifa.”

“Tifa, hm?” Tifa’s heart skipped at the way his tongue curled around her name. He waved his hand dismissively, a mischievous glint in his eye. “There’s no need to be so formal with me, Tifa.”

“I—if you insist…”

“I do.”

Tifa felt her cheeks burn as she shyly returned his smile. “Then…it’s nice to meet you, Cloud.”

“Nice to meet you, Tifa.”

* * *

“Cloud?”

“Hm?”

“How long have we known each other?”

Cloud slowed his steps, turning to look at the woman beside him. He frowned, uncertain of what she was really asking. “I’m…not sure,” he admitted. “I haven’t exactly been keeping track.”

She laughed, the sound quiet even in the dark of night. Carmine eyes sparkled with mirth as she turned to smile at him. “It’s been nearly six months since I found you under that tree.”

He hummed as he looked up towards the moon. “Has it been that long already?”

“It has.” Tifa stooped down to pluck a wildflower before reaching out to twine her fingers with his, tugging him to a stop. “You shouldn’t frown so much,” she chided. “You’ll end up with wrinkles.”

Cloud rolled his eyes, huffing with exasperation. “If I haven’t gotten wrinkles after a millennium, I doubt I’ll get them now.”

Sticking her tongue out, Tifa wrinkled her nose. “Well don’t come crying to me when you end up with frown lines.”

His expression softened before he slipped an arm around Tifa’s waist, pulling her close. “I doubt I’ll have to worry about developing frown lines around you.”

“Cloud!” Tifa slapped his chest playfully, stifling her laughter against the back of her hand.

When she tilted her head up to catch his eye, Cloud felt the now familiar squeeze in his chest as he drank in her form. Her eyes were glittering with humor and something else he couldn’t quite place and her skin was as pale as the moonlight that shadowed her cheekbones. Cloud glanced down at the flower she clutched in her hand. Slipping it from between her fingers, he wordlessly tucked it behind her ear, smiling softly at the way her eyes widened briefly.

Leaning down, he captured her lips in a soft kiss. He chuckled when she sighed, chasing his lips as he pulled away. Her lashes fluttered open and Cloud wanted nothing more than to sear the image of her — cheeks flushed, lips parted, and eyes darkened — into his brain.

“Tifa, come with me.”

“Where?”

“To the Underworld. Come home with me.”

Her brows furrowed as she stared at him. “Are you serious?”

“Deathly.” Tifa frowned at him, unappreciative of his joke. He pressed his forehead against hers, reaching up to squeeze the hand she had placed on his chest reassuringly. “Of course I’m serious, Tifa. I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t.”

“Cloud, my father…” Cloud didn’t miss the way her eyes darted towards the direction of her home before meeting his gaze again. “He would never approve.”

“Tifa…” Closing his eyes, Cloud sighed. “I love you. You know that, don’t you?”

“Of course I do,” she whispered.

“Then come with me,” he pleaded. “You’ll have all the freedom you could ask for. No one watching your every move. You can do as you please.”

“You do know how to tempt a lady.”

“I have other ways I could tempt you,” he murmured, his voice low and rough.

Cloud watched as she bit her lip, her gaze dropping to where her hand rested against his chest, clasped in his. He felt the way she trembled as she took a deep breath before meeting his gaze again.

“Okay,” she relented.

* * *

At first, Tifa was overwhelmed by the expanse of Cloud’s kingdom. She spent her days wandering the wide expanse of hallways, marveling at the smooth stone walls and the way the torchlight reflected off the River Styx. It was so different from the mortal realm where she had spent all her life, but she was excited to explore her new home.

Trailing her fingers along the wall, she rounded the corner and paused just at the entrance of the throne room. Cloud was in his seat, slouched over, propping his head up on his palm as he listened to the two men standing before him. Seeing Cloud in his element was like night and day from how he was when they were alone. He was colder, more aloof, and if she was being honest, he seemed rather apathetic about the whole judging souls thing. When they were alone, he had a softness about him that betrayed his position as king of the Underworld. She giggled a little at the thought.

Clapping a hand over her mouth, her eyes widened as the realization that her laughter had cut through the relative silence of the room. She flushed furiously when Cloud’s eyes darted to meet hers. Though his posture remained unchanged, she noticed the way his eyes shone with a quiet humor, and if the heel of his palm wasn’t covering his mouth, Tifa was certain she would have seen the ghost of a smile touch his lips. He turned his attention back to the men, saying something and waving them away. Tifa shuffled backwards to hide behind the corner of the wall as they walked past, discussing something in quiet voices. Peeking from around the corner again, she caught Cloud’s eye again as he beckoned her closer.

She hesitantly approached, suddenly feeling rather small with the image of Cloud reclined in his throne, the black silk of his robes flowing over the black marble. “Cloud, I’m sorry if I interrupted your meeting.”

Sitting up straight, Cloud shook his head. “Don’t be. If anything, you’ve saved me from another hour of listening to Biggs and Wedge’s arguments about whether or not we should allow passage to Elysium to a pack of farmers that disregarded the God’s order.” He rolled his eyes, as if the mere thought of this was exhausting.

“Well then I’m glad I could be of service, my Lord,” she murmured, adding in a curtsey to further tease him.

Extending his hand, Cloud chuckled. “Come here.”

Tifa hesitated a moment before slipping her hand into his and allowing him to tug her up the steps. She stumbled over the hem of her silks, reaching out to grasp Cloud’s shoulders to steady herself just as he grasped her waist. Her heart leapt into her throat, her breath catching at the sudden heat of his hands around her. Cloud’s thumbs rubbed back and forth along her ribcage and goosebumps erupted down Tifa’s arms at the subdued heat in his eyes.

“How are you enjoying your stay?”

“It’s been lovely, thank you.”

Cloud frowned at her. “I’m sorry I haven’t been able to spend more time with you.”

Tifa shook her head. “Don’t be. I didn’t realize how much work it was being king of the Underworld.” Biting her lip, she averted her gaze shyly. “I hope that I’m not distracting you from your duties.”

“Tifa, you are never a distraction.” Cloud pulled her closer, her knees bumping against the edge of his seat as he settled her between his legs. Tilting his head to look up at her, he smirked. “If you would prefer to distract me from my boring meetings, I have an idea or two.”

She huffed a laugh. “I’m sure you do.”

Her eyes drifted shut as she leaned in only to jump away with a yelp a moment later when a clap of thunder echoed around her. Spinning around, her eyes widened when she saw a man with jet black hair, slicked back and away from his face, and a woman with soft brown hair and a kind face on his arm. Cloud growled and rose to his feet, wrapping his arm around Tifa’s waist protectively.

“Zack, what the hell —“

“Cloud, we have a problem.”

* * *

“I can’t believe this!” Tifa jumped when Cloud slammed a fist on the table. “This is absolute bullshit and he knows it!”

Aerith rubbed Cloud’s forearm soothingly, a sympathetic look on her face. “You know how dramatic Brian is. It was only a matter of time before he pulled a stunt like this.”

“Yeah, but we didn’t expect him to just outright let the whole damned world freeze to death,” groused Zack.

Tifa sat beside Cloud, her hands clasped demurely in her lap as she absorbed everything. She had been nervous upon meeting Zack and Aerith; she never in a million years thought she would meet them, given she was a minor goddess and she doubted that they would have been interested in knowing her otherwise. But Aerith had been as sweet as could be, enveloping Tifa in a tight hug even as she had stood frozen with fear.

“It’s so nice to finally meet you,” she had whispered. “It’s not every day that our Cloud takes an interest in someone.”

Zack had been equally warm, though Tifa felt flustered under his gaze and Cloud had only tightened his grip on her waist, pulling her back flush against his chest in a show of possessiveness. After a tense moment of Cloud glaring at his brother, Aerith had clapped her hands and redirected their attention to the matter at hand.

“So what do we do?” Tifa asked quietly.

Cloud scrubbed a hand over his face. “We can’t just give in to Brian’s demands.”

“But we also can’t let all the mortals starve to death,” countered Aerith.

“I could kill him,” offered Zack. Aerith smacked his arm and he pouted. “I wasn’t  _ actually _ going to kill him.”

“Don’t scare Tifa,” she scolded. “She’s terrified enough as it is. We don’t need to be threatening to kill her father as well.”

Cloud grumbled something under his breath and Tifa had an inkling that if he could, he would murder her father in a heartbeat.

“I have an idea.” Tifa cast a worried glance at Cloud. “But I don’t think you’re going to like it.”

* * *

“Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

“Cloud, this was my idea.”

“Yeah, but…” Cloud tucked a lock of Tifa’s hair behind her ear and sighed. “I don’t like it.”

Tifa smiled softly, though he could see the sadness in her eyes. “If I return home, Papa will put things back to normal and the mortals won’t suffer. It was the only way, Cloud.”

Cloud scowled. “He’ll never let me see you again. You know that.”

“Well then I guess I’ll just have to run away to the Underworld under the full moon again,” she teased.

“Tifa…”

Dropping her gaze, Tifa squeezed his hands. “I’ll find a way back, Cloud.” When she raised her gaze to him, her brow was pinched and determination shone in her eyes. “He can’t keep me here forever.”

“Tifa!”

Cloud turned and glared at Brian. “He’s so impatient,” he muttered.

“Reminds me of someone else I know,” giggled Tifa. Taking a step back, Tifa let her hands slip out of his. “Cloud…thank you. For everything.”

She smiled at him, though she knew it didn’t reach her eyes. She could feel the weight of her father’s stare on her back, but she wanted another moment to study Cloud’s face and memorize it. They hadn’t been together for long, but she would miss the way the corners of his mouth would turn down into a scowl, how his brows would pinch together when he was annoyed, and the soft rumble of his voice as he whispered in her ear, strong fingers curling around her bicep.

Tearing her gaze away from his, she turned towards her father. He stood on the other edge of the field, his arms crossed over his chest, and anger simmering in his eyes as he watched them. Sighing, she gathered her skirts in her hands to traverse over the frozen ground.

Before she made it more than a few paces away from Cloud, she felt the warmth of his hand curl around her wrist and pull her to a stop. Turning towards him, she gasped when he tugged her flush against him, dipping his head to claim her lips in a searing kiss. She clung to the front of his robes, trying desperately to memorize the feel of his lips on hers. Her stomach flipped when he ran his tongue along her bottom lip and she parted her lips, obliging him. Something sweet filled her mouth and she swallowed instinctively when Cloud pulled away. Her eyes widened when she realized what she had just consumed: a pomegranate seed.

Cloud smirked, a smugness about him that was oddly endearing as it was sexy. He brushed his lips against her ear, whispering, “See you soon.”

And with that, he released his hold on her, nudging her towards her father.

**Author's Note:**

> Come hang out with me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/mayelisa13)! There is also a link for my Ko-Fi there should any of you feel as though you would like to contribute to my coffee addiction, but please don't feel obligated!


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